THE 18th GH Raisoni Memorial International FIDE (Rapid) Rating Chess Tournament was inaugurated by Adv Sandeep Shastri by playing a move. The event forms a part of 18th GH Raisoni Chess Festival 2025 and is being played at GH Raisoni Institute of Information and Technology, Shraddha Park, Wadi Hingna Link Road. The tournament is being organised by

 

GH Raisoni Sports and Cultural Foundation and Kalpana Prakash Welfare Foundation. Girish Vyas, Vice-President of Maharashtra Chess Association and President of Chess Association Nagpur presided over the function. Bhushan Shriwas, Secretary, Kalpana Prakash Welfare Foundation and Chess Association Nagpur and IA Ajinkya Pingale Chief Arbiter were seated on dias. SS Soman, Member, MCA Observer Committee, introduced the guests.

 

The event is being played in 9 rounds in time control of 15 minute each with an increment of 5 seconds per move. The event has attracted a whopping 463 entries from all over India including the states of Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu etc. between the age group of 5 to 74 years. There are 220 FIDE rated players participating in the event. There are 22 veteran playersabove 50 years of age and in all70 female players are participating in the event.

 

Apart from cash prizes to top20 finishers, prizes shall also bedistributed to best veteran, bestNagpur player, best female 18+player and best unrated player.Attractive trophies shall also begiven to the top finishers inUnder- 7, 9, 11, 13, 15. IA Ajinkya Pingle is the ChiefArbiter of the event who is assisted by Deputy Chief Arbiter FABharti Dhote, IA Sonal Tambi, FAShiva Iyer, FA Sagar Sakhare, FAAmit Tembhurne, SNA ShamAgrawal, SNA Akash Rewatkar,SNA Prayas Ambade, SNAShrikant Bagde, SNA ShishirIndurkar, Harshawardhan andPrathamesh Machave.